LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Shovels hit the ground in Jeffersontown Thursday for the city's new police headquarters, just one of many expansion projects in the works for the growing city. 

The city didn't have to look far for a new site. The new police headquarters is being built next to the old building at 10410 Taylorsville Road, near Watterson Trail.

The two-story building will be about 40,000-square-feet and, in addition to space for police, it'll have a community room and a public plaza with a water feature.

Renderings show what the massive building that will replace the current one will look like when it's finished.

Rendering of new Jtown police HQ (1).jpeg

A rendering of the new Jeffersontown Police headquarters. (Source: City of Jeffersontown)

Rick Sanders, who will continue as Jeffersontown's Police Chief at least until Mayor-elect Carol Pike takes office Jan. 1, spoke during the ceremony. 

"This building has been designed to support and encourage the community to come in and meet with us," Sanders said. "We're extremely proud of the work that has been done."

The new facility provides much more space for resources, and encourages involvement with the planned community room and public plaza.

"We want the people of Jeffersontown to feel proud," Sanders said. "We want the people of the police department to be proud to be a part of this community, and we're looking forward to that."

Outgoing Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf was on hand for Thursday's groundbreaking, overseeing the official start of yet another project within the growing city. It was one of his final official functions as the city's mayor. 

"Jeffersontown is somebody that is moving forward all the time to make the city the place where everybody wants to come," Dieruf said. 

Some of the ongoing projects in Jeffersontown include a facelift to Main Street, a new fire station, and a massive amphitheater. 

J'Town Mayor Bill Dieruf at Police HQ groundbreaking

In this image dated Dec. 29, 2022, Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf attends a groundbreaking ceremony for a new police headquarters that will be built adjacent to the current headquarters on Taylorsville Road. (WDRB photo)

Dieruf believes efforts from his office and the council will continue to push the city forward once he's gone.

"It wasn't a matter of running for another mayor, or this was the end of my term, it was a matter of a city that is the best, that we wanted to be the hometown everybody is proud of in the future," a visibly emotional Dieruf said. "Thank you for letting me be your Mayor."

Construction is expected to start soon and wrap up in 2024. 

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